After a slow start, girls softball continued to struggle through the end of the season. The team finished the regular season with a record of 4-1-13, after suffering several blowout losses in the second half of the season.

The Bulldogs lost to Clarksburg 11-1 in the first round of the playoffs May 10.

“We played Clarksburg a week before and it was closer,” sophomore pitcher Nora Cleary said. “We all felt prepared.”

The playoff loss was preceded by a tie to Rockville 4-4 May 9, ending the regular season on a higher note. Although the team has had a rough season, according to Cleary, this season has been about younger players gaining experience.

“We’ve definitely improved,” said Cleary. “We’ve cut down on errors throughout the season.”

Coach James Collins also feels the experience this year will help the team later.

“We only have two seniors to replace,” Collins said. “It will be hard, but we have a lot of underclassmen who know what they need to do for next year.”

Previously, the Bulldogs lost 10-1 to Sherwood May 5, 6-2 to Clarksburg May 3, and 4-0 to Blake May 1, with a win over Wheaton April 28.

“We didn’t play very well,” junior captain Katie Jenkins said. “But we recognized our mistakes and will learn from them.”

The team also lost 4-3 to Gaithersburg April 25, 13-9 to Wootton April 24 and 14-9 to Walter Johnson April 21.

The team is considerably young, however, and is optimistic about its prospects for upcoming seasons.

“I’ve improved since the first half of the season,” Cleary said. “I’m excited for next year and the season following.”